So, it was my mom’s birthday yesterday, and we decided to celebrate by going to Saint Simons Island and taking photos all day long. Which we did. It was so much fun! Anyway, here are some photos from that trip. I hope you enjoy them!

As per usual, click to make larger and also, there are approximately a bajillion photos after the jump. Just the best ones, in my opinion. Also, these are unedited beyond a bit of exposure-messing (I had to lighten up some of them so you could really see the details, but nothing major). Also, the first few photos are actually from the sunset the night before my mom’s birthday. Isn’t it stupid pretty?

Since it’s a new year and all that, I figured I’d do a little post and tell you guys all about what I’ve been using lately to keep my skin in shape. I did do a quickie post on both the Aztec Secret and the Egyptian Magic, but I wanted to really talk about them now that I’ve been using them for a while and know they are actually good. Anyway, here’s a picture of all the items I’ll be talking about, along with some links to where to buy them.

Let’s start with the obvious: my Clarisonic. I was lucky enough to receive mine as a gift a few years ago (Seriously, years, and it’s still going strong) and I really love it. I use the Sensitive or Delicate brush heads and I find they really do get all the icky junk out of my pores while being really gentle and non-irritating. As you may know, I have sensitive princess skin, so the whole non-irritating aspect is very important for me.

Next up, Aztec Secret! As the tub says, “Feel your face pulsate!” And, yeah, that’s not just a clever marketing ploy. I think it really does make your face feel crazytown while it’s on, and then softer than a damn baby’s ass once you wash it off. Depending on if I’m feeling oily or a touch dry/extra sensitive, I’ll either mix my powder with equal part honey and ACV, or just ACV (sometimes with a drop or two of tea tree oil). You can also mix it with water, but I found that to not be deep cleaning enough.

Point being, this mask really works. For me, I’ll use it and then the next day, my bumps have been brought to the surface. So, that day, I’ll use my Clarisonic and my Glycolic cleanser (which I’ll talk about in a sec) to help get rid of the bumps, and then a day or two later, my skin is beautiful and clear. Now, I will admit, living in Georgia in the house that I’m literally, actually allergic to does make it hard to keep my skin nice and bump-free. But, I do my best, and this mask goes a long way to helping.

So, let’s see. Up next, I’m gonna talk about my Egyptian Magic moisturizer. I really, really like it. It’s pretty greasy and heavy-feeling, but it hasn’t made me break out yet, so I’m really happy with it. If anything, it makes my skin look plump and soft, even on days when it had been feeling dry before I slather it on (and you really do slather it on. Like icing).

When I first started using it, I used too much, and I did get little baby bumps on my cheeks, but once I realized why that was happening, I was able to cut back on the amount I use and still get the benefits without all the icky breakouts. I use about a lima bean-sized amount for my whole face and neck, so I hope that helps.

For my main skincare, I use all Mario Badescu products because they’re formulated specifically for sensitive skin, and use very gentle ingredients (or at least, the ones I use do. Some of the toners do have alcohol in them, so just be careful and read the ingredients list. If you need a deeper toning experience, I recommend witch hazel). I personally use the Enzyme Cleansing gel daily, followed by either the Aloe Vera toner or the Glycolic Acid toner depending on whether my skin is feeling extra sensitive or oily. A few times a week (once every 3 days or so), I use the Glycolic Acid foaming cleanser with my Clarisonic to really deep clean my skin and increase cell turnover action. In the morning, I moisturize with the Oil-Free moisturizer, and at night, I moisturize with Egyptian Magic. I tried layering argan oil underneath for a while, but it made me break out, so I had to stop.

For sunscreen, I always use mineral-based sunscreens because chemical ones make my face burn. Sensitive princess skin strikes again! Anyway, I either use the La Roche Posay one I listed above, or the Lavanila one or the Coola one. I have tried all of these sunscreens personally, and none of them whitecast me, so I like them. Now, to be fair, I am EXTREMELY pale, so for someone with darker skin, I’d recommend the La Roche Posay tinted sunscreen to counteract any whitecasting. It’s way too dark for my skin, though, so if you are pale, don’t think you can use it as tinted moisturizer. Use Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer for that. Actually, everyone should use Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer anyway. It’s, like, 40 bucks for a tube, but a tube lasts you FOREVER because you only need the tiniest bit to cover your whole face.

For body moisturizing, preventing ingrown hairs (it’s easier for stubble to push through soft, supple skin), removing eye makeup (if you don’t have acne-prone skin. If you do, use jojoba oil), oil-pulling, and preventing dandruff while also making my hair stronger and grow faster, I use pure, unrefined coconut oil. I linked to the Artisana one, but anyunrefinedcoconutoil will work. Make sure it’s unrefined, though! Refined coconut oil doesn’t have the same benefits because all the lovely minerals and stuff have been filtered out. Unrefined coconut oil is also known as “virgin” or “extra virgin” coconut oil. They’re exactly the same, so don’t worry about it.

A little bit about oil-pulling: It’s an Ayurvedic practice that Indians have been doing for ages, so please don’t tell me that it’s some “New Age” hippie bullshit. It’s not. It’s a very old thing, and has many proven benefits, including lowered chance of gum disease and stronger teeth. I also have personally noticed clearer nasal passages and fewer pimples since I started it. It helps pull out any toxins from your body, so don’t take any of your vitamins or whatever pills you take until after you spit it out and have brushed your teeth. I also like to do it the day after drinking, and have noticed that it shortens or entirely gets rid of hangovers, but your mileage may vary, y’all. I’m just telling you my experiences with it.

Now, last but not least, my newest beauty secret(s): the beverages I drink! I make my own fruity water for super-duper hydration which involves 2L of water along with 1 sliced cucumber, 1 sliced lemon, and one handful of torn mint leaves. I recommend washing your fruit and veg with this before putting it into your water or consuming it in any way, really, just to get rid of all the dirt and pesticides. You’d be shocked at how dirty your “already washed” produce is!

The other beverage I love is kombucha. I mean, I kind of thing straight up, plain kombucha is a bit too fermented-tasting for my kitten tongue, but I do really, REALLY like this Synergy Raspberry Chia one. It’s fruity and light and slightly carbonated and also has the benefits of Chia seeds, which just adds to the nutrition. Kombucha is known to have many health benefits, which I’ll let you guys research on your own, and really has no downsides (unless you don’t like the taste. In which case, don’t drink it!). I personally dig the immune-boosting benefits and I actually really like the taste. It’s like a more earthy wine or fruity beer, and it helps prevent cancer! WIN.

So, I hope you guys enjoyed this post and that maybe it inspires you to do your own version of it, or maybe just inspires you to improve your own beauty routine! Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any of these products or if you plan on trying any of them. Also, tell me about your routines! I want to know!

A phrase I say a lot. I’ve realized though that, more often than not, this phrase prefaces things that I don’t think are very funny at all. But, I don’t have any better words for that particular feeling. I often don’t have the words for it at all. It feels wrong to say that an example of human beings being terrible towards each other or towards the world or towards other animals (because we are, after all, nothing if not animals) is “funny,” but I often can’t explain it any other way.

So, when I say that it’s “funny” that a woman has been persecuted for attempting to prosecute her rapist – I don’t mean that I find it amusing. I mean that I find it horrific and just so very typical of our society and, honestly, not really all that surprising and so I can’t say “I find it odd” or “I find it surprising,” because I don’t. But, it’s so horrific and typical and not surprising in any way that I just say that it’s “funny” instead of crying or starting a petition or strangling the people who actually DO think it’s funny.

When I say it’s “funny” that a black man can be struck by a car and not receive justice because the driver “couldn’t see him because he’s black” and therefore BLENDS IN TO THE GREEN TREES, APPARENTLY, and not ONE PERSON asked what the hell the driver was doing swerving about the road and going on to the shoulder, I’m not ACTUALLY laughing. Really, it kind of makes me want to cry or break something or just scream and scream at the top of my lungs about the injustice of it all until my voice is gone.

When I say that it’s “funny” that a group of teenagers can be so human in one moment to “normal” people, and yet immediately follow that up by saying something is “so gay” or calling someone a “fag” or a “dyke,” I don’t mean that they’re making me laugh with their juvenile antics (though perhaps that would be a better reaction than what I’d like to do). I mean that I find it strange and sad and that it makes me want to find every gay/lesbian/trans student in the country and just hug them tighttighttight and cover their ears and eyes and never let go until they’re old enough to realize that they are beautiful no matter what anyone else says.

And, yes, I do think that these situations are indicative of the state of patriarchal, racist, homophobic saturation that we’ve reached as a society. I do think it’s also indicative of the changes that need to be made. But, apparently, most of all, I find it funny.

Anyway, I just was thinking about that phrase and thought I’d get it out there. Sorry if it’s nonsensical or whatever. I hope you enjoy. Feel free to let me know any phrases that YOU say that are weird or phrases with words that don’t mean what YOU mean when you say them. I’d like to know!

I did this and it was actually cool to see that I maybe know more stuff than I think I do. It’s a super cool grammar quiz and I really encourage everyone to take it and let me know how you do! Also, it has little teaching moments, even if you get them right, so it refreshes your memory about why those answers are right.

You guys. I went to the new Whole Foods yesterday in Savannah. It’s HUGE. Also, it’s right next to where I used to take guitar lessons (which is now a liquor store). Annnyway, point being I got to scan the beauty section and it was BEAUTIFUL.

They carry Nourish products, which is a local company, and I was very excited about that. They also have REAL Egyptian Magic moisturizer (make sure it says Ancient Egyptians on it, not Ancient Kamitians, because they don’t exist and those are counterfeit creams), which I totally grabbed one of and tried last night and really, really like so far. But, I want to see if it makes me break out before I gush about it.

Basically, you get a giant tub of powder, which you can then mix with ACV or water (or aloe, milk, whatever). I mixed mine with water as well as I could and then applied all over my face (except where my seb derm is; it’s come back with a vengeance since moving back to Hinesville). Anyway, I woke up this morning with WAY fewer pimples. I think it really did help clean my pores out! Also, it doesn’t burn or anything and it doesn’t leave my face red like my Mint Julep mask does. I like it much better. It’s soothing but still tingly. It’s awesome.

I just wanted to post a quick update about how awesome this stuff is and totally recommend everyone go out and buy a tub. It’s not expensive and it really does what it claims.

You guys! I have to keep y’all updated on Riley‘s music, because I love you and want you all to know about nice things. And, trust, his music is niiiiiice.

Riley and Mike’s demo, which I lovingly printed and cut and glued.

So, onward to the links! Their youtube is currently under construction, but we should be getting some videos up soon. In the meantime, you can feel free to follow them on facebook or twitter, and check out some of their songs off the demo on their soundcloud.

Okay, so you guys are probably calling favoritism or nepotism or whatever right now. And, yeah, some of my love for them might be. But, seriously, I’d tell them if I didn’t like their songs. And I really, really do like their songs. They’re fresh and catchy as hell and just really lyrically sound with layers of meaning that you don’t usually get in catchy music. They’re a great combination of indie rock and indie folk, with hints of more driving rock thrown in. I like to say, if you need a comparison, I’d say that they have the vocals of Thom Yorke with the musical sensibilities of a combo of Elliot Smith and Jeff Mangum, with some harder elements thrown in. It doesn’t sound like anything else, though, which I think it so refreshing in an age where turning on the radio leaves you confused as to who is actually singing the song to which you’re listening.

Anyway, that’s probably enough of my bragging for now. Just trust me when I say that you should do yourself a favour and check them out. You won’t regret it.